chaconne

noun

cha·​conne shä-ˈkȯn How to pronounce chaconne (audio)
sha-,
-ˈkän,
-ˈkən How to pronounce chaconne (audio)
1
: an old Spanish dance tune of Latin American origin
2
: a musical composition in moderate triple time typically consisting of variations on a repeated succession of chords

Examples of chaconne in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not only a cornerstone of the literature, the chaconne is a pillar of Western civilization. David Schoenbaum, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2016 Finally there was a chaconne in 2005, written to honor Pope John Paul II. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 Aug. 2020 They’re joined by a work to a Bach chaconne by the Belgian choreographer Stijn Celis, and the premiere of a new work by the young American company dancer Joseph Hernandez. Brian Schaefer, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2017 A Bach violin chaconne felt, not surprisingly, fresh. Mark Swed, latimes.com, 5 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

French & Spanish; French chaconne, from Spanish chacona

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaconne was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near chaconne

Cite this Entry

“Chaconne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaconne. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on chaconne

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!